Love Doesn't Exist
by lilmisswriter17
Summary: This is my oneshot of É/E. Éponine is heartbroken after Marius professes his love for Cosette and wishes she could turn back the clock. She doesn't have anyone to talk to, until the revolutionary leader decides to finally notice her. Will he listen and understand her situation or just make matters worse?


**Hello, Fanfictioners! So this is my first fanfic in...goodness, I couldn't even tell you! Anyway, I wrote this a while back and wanted to use it in a fanfiction I thought of for Les Mis, but figured maybe this was just a good oneshot. It takes place right after Enjolras has encouraged everyone to fight for the revolution. Éponine is crying after seeing Marius and Cosette profess their love for them. Now, Enjolras takes control of the situation... Enjoy!**

"Hey." Éponine turned around and saw the leader of the revolution and one of Marius' friends at the ABC Café. She knew it was him because of the many speeches she attended with…Marius. That made her heart break even more thinking about the moments spent together and not once did he suspect her feelings toward him. Love was blind; very, very blind…

"Why are you crying?" Enjolras asked her as she wiped her eyes clean. She didn't want to talk to anyone about her failed romance. She would rather mope about it and feel miserable about herself.

"I'm not." she replied. She wouldn't stand up, wouldn't let him look at her. Instead, Éponine turned her back to him completely.

"Come on, you can't fool me that easily." Enjolras said. He sat next to her on the cold, pavement floor, overstepping his boundaries. The rain was still pouring, drenching the two of them. Éponine didn't mind it at all; she was used to wandering in the rain. It helped her think when she needed to.

But what she did mind was Enjolras being there. Why couldn't he let her be? She didn't want to talk to anyone about her feelings, especially someone whom she barely talked to in the past. They knew each other, but it wasn't as if they were close friends, like her and Marius. They were barely acquaintances, if you could even call it that.

"Here, maybe this will help." Enjolras unhooked a flask from his belt and held it to her. Éponine was in serious need of a drink after everything she had gone through. She gladly took the offer and drank. Drinking took her mind off the misfortunes in her life. That was all her life seemed to her: Misfortunes and mistakes around every corner.

"You're Éponine, am I right?" Enjolras asked. "You're Marius' friend." Éponine took another sip at the sound of Marius' name. The liquor did some good for her.

"Yes, I'm Éponine," she said. "and you're Enjolras. I've been to your speeches before with…Marius." She took another sip of the flask. Enjolras took the flask and a swig himself. He wasn't much of a drinker, but he was having a hard time convincing Marius to stay with the revolution. Marius wouldn't give up his silly idea of love and that it meant something. They both had had a rough day, and alcohol was their answer.

"Hmm, good to hear you're for the revolution." he said proudly. "But of course, why wouldn't you?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, people like you need help, and I am here to give it to you." Enjolras took another drink of the flask and smiled. He didn't realize how offensive that was to Éponine. She never said she was for the revolution. She only said she went to his speeches, and that was only because Marius asked her to go.

"I'm leaving." Éponine stood up, leaving Enjolras to his flask. She walked along the cold and wet pavement, trying to distance herself from Enjolras. He thought he was helping the people? She could see it another way.

"Éponine, wait!" Enjolras shouted and as he ran after her.

"You want to help people like me? How about letting us be. People like me can't be understood by people like you. We're complete opposites; you don't know what it's like to be us." She was in no mood to be stopped by a vulgar and arrogant soul such as his. He didn't know anything about the people he was fighting for. Éponine quickened her pace so as not to be stopped by him. She knew every turn and every street in Paris, so losing him wouldn't be a problem.

She turned right and hid from Enjolras, who was still trying to catch up with her. She was sure he wouldn't find her there. No one knew the streets like she did. She was panting heavily. When things seemed to be quiet, she relaxed.

"Thank goodness." Éponine whispered to herself.

"Thank goodness for what?" Éponine turned around and there he was. Enjolras. He had actually followed her. Not only that, but he found the second way to get to the alley she was hiding in.

"How…how did you…"

"I may not live in the streets, but I've had my fair share walking around them and knowing where the best hideouts are." He was more skilled at being a street rat than she presumed. Still, the sight of him didn't please her in any way.

"So what's your problem? Why do you not support the revolution?" Enjolras asked. Éponine was still reluctant to answer his questions, still in the belief that he had no business dealing with affairs such as her people. He chuckled. "You can't avoid me, you know."

"How not?" Éponine asked. "I can just walk away and ignore you. I don't have to answer your questions."

"Yes, but I have the liquor." He reminded her, waving around the flask. She needed that flask. She needed it just as much as she needed someone to comfort her. She would prefer the liquor only, but she could learn to deal with him by her side. Just this once.

"Fine."

They sat down in the alley and drank away. The liquor made all the difference for them both. Enjolras was relieved that Grantaire gave him the flask. He had enough liquor to last him a lifetime, anyway.

Éponine sighed. "I just…I don't think you know what you're talking about with your speeches." She was looking for an insulted reaction, but he just took another sip of the flask, so she continued. "You want to give people like me a better life, but…it's impossible."

"Ha, no it's not."

"The King is more powerful than your revolution. And even if you do win, everything will be fine for a little while until what everyone feared would happen happens." The revolution was pointless to her. Things would always end the same.

"And what would that be?" Enjolras asked. He was very interested in their conversation. He was curious to learn her perspective of the revolution. Enjolras could only think positive effects. The only negativity that haunted him was the people dying, along with the revolution.

"You assumed control out of nowhere. You started the revolution and now everyone follows you, practically begging at your feet."

He bobbed his head toward her with a smile. "Because they know it will work."

"No, they're hoping you will fix things for them."

"I can't do it without their help." Enjolras added. She was becoming impatient and irritated with his rebuts.

"You know, you're right." Éponine finally said, tired of arguing. "You will fight in this revolution, and somehow win. When you do win, the people will choose you as their new King. But you won't know what the hell you're doing because you never asked what the people wanted. And that is how you will become the next absolute monarch." Enjolras was offended by Éponine comparing him to the King. He stood up and grabbed her arm, giving her a frightening look as well.

"Don't you ever compare me to that bloody King!" he shouted. Éponine was worried he might do something to her, like beat her. It would add to her collection of scars, but she thought she could trust him.

Enjolras noticed how frightened she looked and backed down. He couldn't do that to her; he couldn't make her feel weak when all he wanted was for people like her to feel strong. He sat back down next to her and sighed.

For a while, they were silent. The only sound came from the drinking of the flask, and it was running low with every sip. Enjolras was done talking about the revolution for one night, and was more interesting in getting to know what Éponine was crying over from their earlier conversation. He hadn't met her before that night. Of course he had seen her before, but never felt the need to understand who she was.

"So, would you care to enlighten me on what you were moping about back there?" Enjolras asked. Éponine was silent for a while. She didn't want to tell anyone her love for Marius. Now that he had found love with another, it was pointless to mention her feelings about him. Could she really trust this Enjolras? She had never told anyone, so why should she tell someone she barely knows? He could be the one person who would understand where she was coming from. He could understand her feelings.

"Well…" She still couldn't bring herself to tell him. What was the worst he could do, tell Marius? He didn't seem like that kind of person. She felt like she could trust him. "I haven't really told anyone this…mainly because it's hard to believe myself. It's about Marius."

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Marius. No matter what he did, no matter if he had found love with another woman, she would still feel true love for him. He made her life worthwhile. If it weren't for Marius, she would see no point in living.

"Ah, I see where this is going." Enjolras said confidently. Éponine was worried it was too obvious, and indeed it was. "You're in love with Marius." He was practically mocking her for it. Éponine assumed wrong; Enjolras didn't understand her at all. "Why are you still in love with him?"

"What?" Éponine asked, her mouth agape. "Why would you ask me that?"

"Because he sure as hell doesn't love you back!" Enjolras shouted. Éponine slapped him across the cheek. She didn't need him to point out the obvious for her. She already saw Marius profess his love for Cosette, and she for him. It was obvious to her she meant nothing to him.

"Éponine, he has basically left the revolution; he doesn't care what happens to people like you. All he wants is to be with his precious what's-her-name."

"I knew you wouldn't understand." Éponine said. She was tired of everyone: Her parents, Marius and Cosette, and now Enjolras. No one took the time to understand her, and now she was practically pouring her heart out and telling him her deepest feelings. No one could understand her feelings.

"Éponine, wait." Enjolras touched her shoulder in comfort. She felt a warm feeling inside of her when they touched, as did he. They looked into each other's eyes, noticing the things they merely disregarding in the past. Éponine didn't feel the need to run from him again.

Enjolras released his hold on her and coughed in his fist. "Look, I do not doubt you mean it well, but Marius has found someone. He's in love with someone else. He mentioned her earlier, but he never told us her name."

"That's because he didn't know her name until after I showed him where she lived." she told him.

Enjolras almost choked on his drink at the sound of that. "He didn't even know her name?" Éponine nodded, but he just shook his head. He went for another drink, but the flask was now empty.

"See, this is what I don't get about love. You think that by looking at someone for a mere second means you both are instantaneously in love. Love is pointless; it's a myth." Enjolras threw the flask into the street, knowing someone would use it to sell or to carry their own liquor. It was more useful in someone else's possession than mine, he thought.

"You're saying you've never been in love?" Éponine refused to believe that were true. Love was what brought two people together. It was the closest thing she had to freedom.

"I've had feelings for someone, but I've never been in love." Enjolras admitted. Éponine couldn't help but laugh. The thought of one never having the feeling of love for another seemed impossible. How could one not fall in love? The answer to that question was a mystery to her.

"Let me tell you this now, Éponine: I have never been in love, nor will I ever be." He wished he had his flask because he could really go for another drink. It was the first time in his life where he laid back and let the drink loosen him up.

"So what's it like?" Enjolras asked her, moving on to another subject. He was done talking about Marius. Enjolras didn't care who he was in love with; he only wanted Marius' support in the revolution and to show he cared for people like his friend Éponine.

"What's what like?"

"Living on the streets." he replied, trying to find a way to make it not sound as bad as it was. "Trying to survive on what you can find. How do you do it?"

Éponine was uncomfortable answering that. Even though he wanted people like her to live freely, he would still be better off without the revolution. He had money, which was more than she could say about herself.

"I…I do things. Things I would never do in normal circumstances." Éponine crossed her arms and hid her face from Enjolras. She couldn't face him with the things she's done in the past to survive.

"You mean…you do things…" Enjolras asked. Éponine understood how he would come to that conclusion, but it wasn't true. She was too modest for that.

"No! No, I don't go sleeping around, if that's what you're asking." Éponine assured him. "I mean, I did it once when I was desperate and when my father promised to kill me if I didn't bring him money the next day. But that was the end of the line. I told myself I would never force myself to do that, even if it meant a serious beating from my father."

"How badly does your father beat you?" Enjolras asked, hoping to get a truthful answer from her. He noticed she had bruises along her arms and few on her face. He was about to touch her face, but she slapped his hand away and turned her cheek.

"Badly enough." Éponine hated bringing up her father and what he does to her. It only brings back the memories.

"So how do you get money for him?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Éponine said. She didn't like all the questions he was asking her when she had plenty of her own to ask about him. Her life was nothing special and not worth talking about. Nevertheless, Enjolras shook his head. He was persistent. He was not going to let it go.

Éponine brushed her hands together. The dirt on them was a symbol of who she was. The bruises showed the struggles she went through. Her expressions as she walked along the streets of Paris showed how she felt about everything and everyone. No matter how much she found Enjolras' revolution pointless, there was a part of her that wanted him to win. And if that didn't work, she would rather be dead than continue living the way she was.

"I normally steal from the bourgeoisie, and sometimes if my father is in high demand, I'll beat people to get what I need or rob homes of anything I can find." Éponine didn't want Enjolras to think horribly of her, but she didn't want to lie to him. He was listening to her, and that was more than anyone has ever done for her.

"Stealing is not a good path to live by." Enjolras said.

"You think I don't know that?" she said, her voice breaking from the painful memories of her mistakes. "It's the only way I can survive in this unforgivable world. It's my only option; that or die from starvation. You don't know what it's like to be me. I have to steal so my father doesn't do this to me!" She pulled her collar down revealing a multitude of scars and bruises. Enjolras saw more marks than her natural skin tone.

"I…I'm sorry I asked." Enjolras apologized. Éponine didn't know why she was telling him everything she did. She had never had a full conversation with him before, mostly because she only attended the meetings for Marius. He would beg her to go so he wouldn't have to listen to another boring speech from Enjolras. She found that his speeches were indeed inspiring, but they needed to be more personal. He needed to speak as if he were one of the people.

Éponine covered the marks again. "It's okay. You were curious."

"Yes, I am." Enjolras admitted. "I am curious to know how you've lived through so much and yet you still continue living on."

"I may be alive, but I'm not exactly living." Éponine told him. Her life had no excitement. The only time she ever felt even the smallest amount of excitement was when Marius was around, and he wouldn't be around much anymore, now with his precious Cosette and the revolution, if he was still fighting by their side. "If you understand what I'm saying."

"What makes you go on?"

That made her smile. It made her smile for the one person she was living for. Without him, her life had no point. She had no reason for living. She was seriously reconsidering that now that he had found Cosette. She wanted to tell him everything; how she had been in love with him since the moment they met, how she wished she never had shown him where Cosette lived. She wanted to turn back the clock and undo every mistake she had made.

"Marius?" Hesitantly, she nodded. He shook his head in disgust. Enjolras had had enough of Marius, what with him being completely in love with that girl; Marius' head was in the clouds and he was lost in his dreams. What happened to their dreams of a free country? It was as if Marius had forgotten what they were fighting for.

"I don't need to hear how he has found someone else." Éponine said coldly. "I've already seen enough to last me a lifetime."

"Then why don't you find someone else?" Enjolras said, moving closer. She looked into his eyes and saw how much he cared for her feelings. He wanted her to be happy, and knew that she wouldn't be with Marius. "I can see how the boys at the ABC have taken a liking to you."

Éponine laughed at that last comment. "You must be joking. Why would they like me? I'm nothing but a street rat."

"Maybe it's because they see you more than that." Enjolras said. "Joly's told me he thinks Marius is blind to not have fallen in love with you the minute he saw you. Even Grantaire thinks you're more beautiful than his bottles of alcohol!" Éponine smiled at his comments. Did they really say that? It seemed like everyone liked her except for the one she wanted most.

"So how about you?" Éponine asked him. Enjolras looked confused for a second. "What do you think of me?" Enjolras scratched the back of his neck and ran his fingers through his curly blonde locks. He couldn't help but smile.

"Me? Well, I…I would have to say you're a very good listener when I need one and that you are quite pretty, but…"

"But what?" Éponine repeated. Enjolras was sweating, hoping he wouldn't say the wrong thing. He didn't know what to say, exactly. He had only begun to understand Éponine that night. They shared a flask and talked about each other's troubles. What more was there to say?

"But… I'm…off to steal another flask from Grantaire. Care to join me?" Enjolras stood up and opened his hand for Éponine to take, but she refused. She had had enough liquor for one night. However, she took his offer a little too literal, though, not wanting a drink. It was something not even Cosette could do for Marius.

"Actually, you just gave me a great idea, Enjolras," Éponine said. She was in a rush, but still had time to thank him. "Thank you, Enjolras, I hope to see you again soon!"

She ran out of the alley and back the way they both came before Enjolras could say goodbye. He took his time returning to the Café. He was actually glad to have met Éponine, to truly meet her. He thought she was helpful in him seeing more than one side to his protest. He thought she was a good person, too good of a person to be in love with someone as blind as Marius.

All Marius would talk about was his beautiful love. He didn't think about what they were fighting for. It was just a game to him; Marius would live prosperously without the revolution.

Enjolras began to question why he wanted Marius to join his barricade in the first place. He was always keeping his head in the clouds and didn't take the revolution seriously. If he was going to fight with them, he had to give up everything he loved and risk his life. Marius would have to say good-bye to that girl, knowing that he may never see her again if he wished to aid them in their battle for freedom.

He wasn't useful in any way, running off to meet with that girl he claimed he loves. Love was a myth to Enjolras; no one could have true affection for anyone. To Enjolras, the closest thing to love was lust.

Enjolras stood up and left the dark alley. He wondered what Éponine was thinking. He didn't know what he said, but whatever it was made her feel important, worthy maybe. No doubt it was something for Marius. Whatever it was, she was in a hurry to make it true.

No matter how much Enjolras doubted love, he still thought Éponine could find someone better than Marius. His heart raced thinking of Éponine, something that never happened before. He wasn't about to uncover feelings for her when his revolution was on the line. He had to make priorities, and his revolution came first.

He didn't believe in love, anyway. He must have felt lust for her, because in Enjolras' mind, love didn't exist.

 **So not a true happy ending, but if you've read my other Les Mis fic it's not completely a happily ever after, either. The reason Éponine rushed out was because Enjolras gave her the idea to join the revolution if you didn't catch that part. Hope you all liked it!**

 **Katie.**


End file.
